


We're Going to Take Over the Moon

by tolsmolsol



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Space, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Angst, Forbidden Love, Friendship, Kun and Chenle's parents suck, M/M, Romance, Ten The Bounty Hunter, YangYang The Chaotic Pilot, also i'm sorry johnny, but not really? it's not too bad, lots of star wars references, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:01:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23178874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tolsmolsol/pseuds/tolsmolsol
Summary: Kun is being forced to marry a man he just met in order to further his parents' business opportunities in the spice trade, as was a commonality in the life of being related to trade moguls. The path to Kessel, where his future husband lived, is a perilous one; only the most talented starship pilots could safely make the trek through the planet's bordering asteroid fields. Kun's parents hire a well-known smuggler who is paired with one of the best pilots in the galaxy in order to transport their son safely to his fate. Despite his fear and anger at the future chosen for him, Kun walks with his head high and maybe, the smuggler will save him from such a disastrous situation.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun
Comments: 19
Kudos: 33





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> I'm back at it again with essentially another WayV story! In this time of trial, I decided to combine my two loves, Star Wars, and WayV to write what I hope is an entertaining story!  
> I sincerely hope everyone is staying healthy and happy, we'll all get through this!  
> For now, I hope you enjoy the introduction to my story :)  
> -Amber

Naboo was a beautiful planet. That was one thing even the harshest critics of the planet and its politics couldn’t refute. With its lush green landscapes, sparkling blue lakes and the commitment to the soothing brown tones of stone-based architecture, it was a planet that was an idealistic one for any vacationer, or more importantly for some, a rich moguls vacation home. It remained untouched by the smog of industrialization, steel buildings that seemed as tall as mountains and cycles of wars it had been a part of between various Republics and Empires. Even throughout the tumultuous times of the various galactic wars, Naboo’s monarchy remained a present and comforting symbol. Yet, as with most positions of power, the cycle of the Queens and Kings of Naboo has been volleyed back and forth between that rich and powerful of the planet. The richest being that of the Qian family. 

The Qian family made its wealth from the off-planet trade of crystals and dedlanite (more widely known as the material that crafted weapons), which is why they’ve made the most out of all the families in Naboo. Despite Naboo’s stance on pacifism, one could look a little deeper into what they trade and find that the Qian’s owned one of the most prominent weapons conglomerates in the galaxy. This type of trade is incredibly lucrative in the ever-resurfacing times of war, especially in a galaxy so large. 

Though the Qian’s had the power and money to make anything they want come to fruition at the snap of a finger, they were also blessed with a child who made winning the still existing popular vote for the monarchy a breeze. Chenle Qian, despite the weight of his name, very quickly became a well-beloved youth ambassador for Naboo and subsequently was elected to be king at fourteen years old. Chenle had ambition, but he also had the capacity to care which his parents lacked, and this made him the perfect figurehead. 

Kun Qian, his elder brother, was similar, yet he lacked ambition. Loathed to join any form of politics after studying so much about the past fifty or so years of the galaxy’s troubles, Kun used his incredible intellect to graduate top of his class and work in engineering. Specifically, the design, flying, and upkeep of spaceships. Flying was one of Kun’s passions, and even though he couldn’t do it as much as he’d like, he was thrilled every day to work with the beautiful Nubian starships that were as much of a symbol of Naboo as their monarch. 

It was not the ideal job Kun’s family wanted for him, but it was lucrative and gave them access to all the spaceports of Naboo so they didn’t fight him too hard. They just made sure to remind him of his general inadequacy on the regular. 

Despite their leniency, Kun’s parents at the crux of it all were power-hungry. It all started with a party, a meeting and a deal and now Kun was sat at the dinner table listening to his parents explain how they’ve essentially sold him off to a spice tycoon in Kessel so they could now have connections with the spice trade. 

He had never seen Chenle look more on edge in his life, and his brother was high tension all the time. Chenle sat next to him, clenching his fork with a grip that showed the whites of his knuckles and his jaw harshly clenched. But he didn’t speak up. 

The pair of them grew up knowing that disagreeing with the heads of the household was asking for a world of pain and they learned that the hard way. 

“You’ve met him once before, he seemed to be quite taken with you, imagine that!” his mother chuckled like she hadn’t just made a slight against his desirability. Kun sat quietly in his seat like a good son as he remembered a moment that seemed inconsequential at the time but would apparently alter his life forever. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------- __

_Anyone who knew anybody in the galaxy knew that the ideal place for a party was the planet Naboo. The idyllic landscape, tasteful architecture and rich resources that the planet had to offer, made it a central hub for those with money. For this evening, a celebration was being held on the planet to celebrate the birthday of an oil tycoon, and it was as extravagant as one would expect it to be. It was an outdoor party, spanning across the vast yard of the tycoon’s vacation home on the planet. Music, dancers, food, everything seemed to be of the highest quality._

_As per his parents' request, Kun was dressed to impress. A simple outfit, silk shirt tucked into dress pants, but his status was hidden in the diamond laden bracelet on his wrist and brushes of gold littering the patterns on his black shirt. All of these parties were about status: What ship did you ride in on? What are you wearing? How’s business doing? All mindless drivel of the upper elite._

_Kun loved a good time, he couldn’t lie about that. But he loved a good time going to a cantina after work with some of his coworkers or hanging out with his school friends. He did not particularly enjoy the much older, stiffer crowd that often came with these events. But whatever his parents ordered, he had to obey._

_At present, he was lingering at the edge of the party near the drinks. From this vantage point, he had the opportunity to either drink away his sorrows or keep a close eye on his little brother. As usual, Chenle was in top form. It’s good he was a people person because it seemed that everyone at this party wanted to talk to him. Kun wanted to make sure his brother was in his eye-line so he could allow him an escape if need be._

_“He certainly draws a crowd,” a low voice jolted Kun from his thoughts. Kun spun to face the culprit and then immediately had to look up as the man approached from the dance floor. The man was tall, very tall; his long brown hair was slicked back into a coif and his sculpted face shows that he likely garners the attention of many in the room. The smirk also gracing his face gave him an air of intrigue that Kun wished didn’t attract him so. Kun was about to ask who the man was, dressed in a very brave pairing of a white dress shirt with several too many buttons open and tight leather pants, but he saw the necklace on his neck that had the sigil of the spice trade and quickly put two and two together. With seemingly little care in the world, he had sauntered over and leaned against the wall next to Kun. A young man, barely older than him, who held himself higher than anyone at the party? It had to be the new leader of the Kessel Spice Trading Company, Johnny Seo._

_Johnny clearly caught the recognition because his smirk widened._

_“I see my reputation proceeds,” he chuckled softly, Kun scoffed._

_“You’re certainly not doing anything to hide that.”_

_“Why should I? I’m the new leader of the organization, I have to make an impression with all these kingpins and CEO’s from all over the galaxy who want to know my business,” he defended with a shrug, “people should know who I am.”_

_Kun desperately wished the confidence oozing out of the man wasn’t attractive, but he also knew what this Johnny Seo stood for and it wasn’t even close to something he agreed with. The Kessel Spice mines were the talk of legends, yet they were also tales that brought fear to the hearts of many. For those in the business, Kessel spice was the highest quality and some of the most widely accepted currency within the galaxy; only those with the finest ships and pilots could even hope to trade with the company for the planet was closely guarded by an asteroid belt. For those who didn’t have anything for Kessel to offer it was a warning tale to those who fly alone in the galaxy, a threat warlords from outer colony planets held against their citizens; the Kessel Mines were some of the last places in the galaxy that still participated in the slave trade. As frowned upon as it was by the New Republic, it was hard to pass judgment upon a planet only a few ships can reach at a time. The attraction lessened significantly._

_“I suppose I shouldn’t have expected any less,” Kun conceded, trying to hide the derisive edge to his voice but was undoubtedly failing. The proof could be seen in the huff of laughter the spice trader let out._

_“I take it that my aforementioned reputation doesn’t appeal to you?” he asked, looking genuinely curious but also amused, “it’s typically in bad taste to judge someone before you know them.”_

_“Are they wrong?” Kun raised a pointed eyebrow at him as he stepped away from the wall they were both by and turned to face Johnny head-on. There was a glint in Johnny’s eyes as he smirked and also moved away from the wall to step towards Kun; they were a breadths width apart._

_“No.” Kun’s jaw clenched at the gall to admit something like that so confidently._

_“I hope you enjoy the party, Mr. Seo.” With that Kun spun on his heel and quickly walked away from the man and disappeared into the crowd._

\------------------------------------------------------ 

Kun’s recollection of the conversation kept him floored over the whole situation. Over his parents talking about him being sold like a broodmare, Kun for the life of him could not figure out where in that encounter Johnny decided he was desirable enough to marry. He was, for now, ignoring the fact that he had no say in this decision at all and that Johnny likely knew that. Kun was still stuck on the how’s? And why's? He was only brought out of his thoughts by someone tugging on his sleeve. 

Chenle stared at him with wide eyes, looking every bit the fourteen-year-old he truly was without the titles and responsibility. Chenle always told him that he didn’t think he could’ve continued in politics without his big brother, someone to remind him that he still was just a kid and deserved some of the finer things in life that came with being one. This was an ideal their parents never thought was important enough to act upon when raising their children. 

Kun’s heart clenched when he understood what Chenle seemed to and realized that he was about to leave. He would be far away on a planet that no one would want to visit, one that their planet would certainly not consider safe enough for a King to visit at the very least. Chenle would have his best friend Jisung, but he would still be left alone at the mercy of their parents. 

“-so of course we agreed to such a match! Whoever saw that coming?” Their mother crowed, “you know Kun you’ve really started to amount to something.” At that comment, Chenle next to him tensed, seemingly prepared to incite their parent's ire for insulting his brother, but Kun grabbed his wrist to keep him from speaking out. Insults like this, despite his academic prowess and success in the engineering field, were not infrequent and Kun had grown quite numb to them. 

It’s not like Chenle could’ve done anything to stop them anyways, as much as they both wished. So Kun sat there and took it, quietly giving his assent to something he never really had a choice in anyways.


	2. A Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Excessive Use of Star Wars Knowledge.  
> I do make a reference to Geonosis, which for reference was in Attack of The Clones, the second prequel movie. It's a giant desert planet with humanoid bugs and you have to go through an asteroid field to get there!  
> Also, fair use of star wars swears lol
> 
> Enjoy!

As with most gossip, word of Kun's impending union spread quickly amongst the citizens of Naboo. It had been a month since he had been told and it still remained all anyone would talk about. Who wouldn't want to talk about the son of one of the wealthiest families of Naboo and brother of the King? Particularly when the marriage would likely skyrocket them to the top of not only Naboo's rich list but practically the galaxy's. 

During this time, Kun had not heard from his future betrothed, which he thought was interesting because technology made that really simple. All he had received was a black onyx ring that he only wore when he was in danger of being seen by his parents. All other times, it was shoved in the bag he took to work. The lack of communication and assumption that Kun would just wear a ring he was sent in the mail, really rubbed him the wrong way. So he took every opportunity he could to silently protest. 

The shining light in this scenario was that he was not alone in his ire. Not only from his brother but from his childhood friend and coworker Dejun. Kun and Dejun met at the Engineering Academy on Naboo. Kun had been a year from graduating from the four-year academy, and Dejun had just started. Despite being three years older than the other man, Kun felt drawn to his excitable personality and vivacity to learn; deep down, Kun supposed he was also envious of his freedom. Dejun didn't come from a wealthy family and had parents that actually cared about his feelings and opinions. He tried his hardest though, to let Kun have that sense of normalcy by inviting him to family dinners and bringing him out to the Cantina after work. Dejun always found a way to work around the restrictions Kun's parents placed on their twenty-three-year-old son, and Kun couldn't appreciate him enough. Despite his occasional eccentricity, there was probably no better friend that Kun could've found in the galaxy than Dejun. 

Sometimes, it was nice to know there was someone who would happily voice their displeasure on your behalf. 

"I mean, really, can you imagine in a normal scenario where the guy your dating proposes to you through the _mail_?" Dejun scoffed, looking over the schematics for the starship they were fixing the hyperdrive on. "That would be a one-way ticket to having neither a fiancee OR a significant other at all." His frustration could be seen in him angrily tapping the screen to pull up the information for the hyperdrive. 

"Well, unfortunately, this is _not_ a normal situation," Kun sighed, gently pulling the screen from Dejun's hands before he accidentally slammed it to the ground. Once he grabbed it, Kun began walking up the gangway onto the ship. 

"I know, it's just-it's just dumb," Dejun huffed, following him onto the ship. This made Kun snort out loud. 

"You graduated top of your class, and the only descriptive word you can think of is _dumb_?" Kun laughed, hitting the button to open the room where the hyperdrive was placed and beginning a scan. To zero surprise, several of the core processors were totally fried, which meant the pilot did multiple hyperspace jumps in a very short period of time. Kun wordlessly passed the screen back to Dejun. 

"Are you kriffing kidding me?" Dejun all but shrieked. "How many times do we have to tell these bantha-brained, hot-shot pilots that if you jump more than twice in a five hour period, you're going to totally fry the core?" 

"Probably for the rest of our lives," Kun sighed, walking out the door. "I'm going to grab a couple processors from the engineering room, I'll be back in a minute." 

"They don't grow on trees, Kun!" Dejun yelled after him. 

"I hear you!" He shouted back, chuckling. As he walked out of the ship, his eyes immediately caught on a large freighter starting its descent onto a landing pad. Not only did the ship stand out because it was clearly not a Nabooian cruiser, which were typically sleek and chrome, but because it looked like it had been through several battles. There were scorch marks along the sides showing blaster fire, and its descent was a little jolty. 

Kun stumbled forward when a hand fell down heavily on his back. He quickly looked to see his boss behind him with a chagrined look on his face. "Better come with me, kid," he ordered as he made his way towards the ship that just landed. Incredibly confused, Kun followed, quickly jogging forward a couple paces to catch up with him. They both stopped a little bit away from the ship to observe the gangway open before them. Before Kun could ask what on earth was going on, two people came out of the ship. In the cleanliness and order of the Royal Naboo Starport, the two stuck out like a sore thumb. The first man that sauntered off the ship had vibrant orange hair and a cheeky grin on his face, his clothes a mix-match of brown and greys to combat the uniform blue of the jumpsuits Kun and others had on. The other one was more put together, but also a lot more intimidating; with black leather pants and jacket and equally dark hair and eyes, Kun was sure he made an impression wherever he went. 

"Welcome to the Royal Naboo Starport gentleman," His boss said gruffly, eyeing the pair with distrust, "it's not often we get smugglers around these parts." 

"Not smugglers! More... transporters," The orange-haired guy responded with a grin and shrug, "the name's Yangyang, and this is my buddy Ten." Kun's eyebrows shot to the top of his head at the introductions. Being trained in engineering and piloting, it was hard not to hear the names of some of the most renowned underworld pilots and bounty hunters. In this case, the duo was well known for being both a renowned pilot and bounty hunter respectively, which begged the question: why were they allowed to have a sanctioned docking? Let alone in the Royal Starport? 

"We know why you're here," His boss huffed, rolling his eyes, "there's no need to be coy about it." 

"Then you'll know we're looking for Mr. and Mrs. Qian," Ten cut in quietly, his eyes had never stopped roaming the starport the entire time Yangyang was talking. They did, however, shoot straight to Kun when he let out a quiet gasp. His gaze was piercing and analytical; it roamed up and down Kun like it was trying to find something, and Kun had to fight his face from turning beet red. 

"You're looking for my parents then," Kun choked out before clearing his throat. It was hard to keep it in control because he knew exactly why they were here, and while he knew it had been coming, Kun just wished it wasn't so soon. "I'm Kun Qian." Both men immediately looked at each other in shock before turning their gazes back to him. Yangyang appeared to have recovered the fastest. 

"Ah, just the man we are looking for!" He chirped, "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Qian." 

"Just Kun is fine," he responded weakly, "nice to meet you too." He then turned to Ten, who also held his hand out, eyes never leaving Kun for a second. Kun probably imagined it, but as soon as they touched hands, he felt a jolt, and he could feel his cheeks warm because of it. 

"Pleasure to be of service," He greeted with a smirk, and Kun really needed to work on controlling his facial expressions. As he opened his mouth to respond, a shout came from a little ways behind them. 

"Kun, where the _hell_ have you been? If you remember you were supposed to be getting- oh, hello, sir!" Dejun squeaked, coming to an abrupt halt once he saw his boss standing next to his friend. The response he received was a non-suffering look that was one frequently associated with Dejun. "Who are these guys?" Dejun continued, walking up next to Kun. 

"I imagine they are...my escorts," Kun explained with a grimace, Dejun immediately turned to look at the pair with a heated glare. 

"You would be right! Last I looked at our paycheck at least- OW!" Yangyang yelped as Ten none too gently punched him in the arm. 

"We're supposed to meet with your parents for dinner to discuss...details," Ten explained. Kun noticed that his voice wasn't very deep, but the soft tone in which he spoke made it so those in the conversation had to be listening intently in order to hear him. It was commanding but in a subtle way. 

"Right, Sir?" Kun asked, turning to his boss, who was already waving him off exasperatedly. 

"Go ahead, kid-Not you Xiao, finish your job!" he ordered gruffly as he noticed the man trying to slip off with Kun, before stalking away. 

"Comm me everything after," Dejun hissed in his ear before walking away as well. 

"Pleasant company you keep," Yangyang butted into the silence that followed. Kun gave a weak half-smile, feeling the stress that came with this meeting finally hit him. 

"Follow me, please," Kun said, walking towards the exit of the ship bay. He pretended not to notice the two looks that the bounty hunters shot each other. 

\------ 

Dinner was about as awkward as Kun expected it would be. Despite his parents hiring the bounty hunters, it was clear they held extreme contempt over the pair and their ways. There were cracks made towards the two about what they did, what they wore, or their hair (mostly towards Yangyang). His parents had set up the dining room that was only ever used for parties, one that had a clear view of the city center and the Royal Castle of Theed. There was also just gross flaunting of wealth, which escalated once his mother saw Yangyangs jaw drop upon entering their ornate villa a little bit outside of town. This could be seen in their bragging about the exported furniture from Coruscant, the capital city, or how well their business was doing. It could also be seen in the dinner prepared. Fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, bread, all things that could be seen as a luxury not only on Naboo but different planets as well. 

It was so grotesque that Kun was over the moon his brother was too busy to attend. 

"Now let us get down to business," Kun's father started, putting down his fork and knife. He sat at the head of the table with his wife to his right and Kun to his left. Yangyang sat next to Kun, and Ten sat next to Kun's mother. Kun didn't know whether to be relieved over the change of conversation or terrified. "As you know, we have hired you to transport our son to his wedding." Kun decided terrified was the correct emotion to be feeling in this moment. 

"To an Outer Rim planet, you said, which one?" Ten asked. At the change of tone in conversation, Ten had moved from passive participant to extremely active listener. To the bystander, it seemed like he had just recharged and was ready for battle with how alert he was. 

"Kessel," his mother answered. Where fear might have entered most pilot's eyes at the thought of trying to reach a planet completely surrounded by asteroids, Yangyang all but lit up from excitement. 

"Well the Kessel Run is certainly more exciting than trying to get to Geonosis, I'll say that." Yangyang grinned, leaning back in his chair and looking like he got the greatest gift on the planet. 

"You've been to Geonosis?" Kun asked, making both bounty hunters look to him immediately. Yangyang with an even wider smile and Ten with a piercing stare. Kun wondered if they both noticed this was the first time he spoke since he brought them to his house. Before Yangyang could even open his mouth, Kun's father cut across him. 

"Quiet, Kun!" He ordered glaring at his son, Kun flinched and went back to his meal. At the exchange, Yangyang grimaced and silently went back to his own meal while Ten kept his eyes on Kun. 

"Mr. Qian, to whom on Kessel are we bringing the younger Mr. Qian to?" Ten asked, looking back towards Kun's father. It was incredible how much he lit up at the question. 

"Why the young Mr. Seo! I'm sure in your field you've heard a lot about him, it was quite a match that was made. I never saw it coming!" Kun's father exclaimed. Ten's eyes had flashed once the name left his father's mouth, and Yangyang shot him a quick glance. Kun wondered what that was all about, and made a note to ask when he caught the pair alone. 

"Yes, I have heard of him," Ten confirmed, glancing at Kun briefly before turning to look at Kun's father again, "What is your prefered timeline?" 

"Well-" He was interrupted by a servant who knocked on the door to the dining room, "what is it?" he barked. 

"The head of the Royal Guard wants to speak with you," the woman replied calmly. The look of exasperation on his father's face can only ever be seen in the presence of the head of his youngest child's guard. 

"Very well, send him in." Donghyuck Lee was not an intimidating person by any means, though he was the head of the Royal Guard. At eighteen, he stood not too tall and not too broad, as was common with someone not quite fully grown. But what he lacked in physique, he made up for in presence, which was how he got the title entrusted to him by his brother's advisors. Donghyuck also had a lot of experience speaking to the parents of his King, so he knew to mentally prepare. 

"His Royal Highness requests the presence of his brother and his newly acquired escorts," Donghyuck announces, standing tall and straight. Yangyang looked perplexed at this new development, and for the first time, even Ten looked surprised. 

"We are in the middle of dinner-" 

"His Royal Highness is very busy with the Festival of Light preparations, and this is the only time he can see them," Donghyuck cut in, an edge to his voice. The problem Kun's father had with Donghyuck, and Chenle using his royal powers to make requests, is that he legally could not refuse them, and it always pained him to let them have their way. This could be seen in the pinched expression that quickly came across his face. 

"Fine, but let his highness know that I will be speaking with him soon." 

"I'll make sure to be there when you do," Donghyuck replied, contempt and warning quickly filling his tone. Before it could escalate, Kun quickly stood up from his seat and gestured for the two bounty hunters to follow suit. Once they did, Kun turned to his parents. 

"We will be back soon to finish the conversation, father." 

"Make sure of it," he warned, crossing his arms across his chest, and Kun nodded in response. With a warm smile, he turned to Donghyuck. 

"Take me to his Royal Highness, please."


	3. The King of Naboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the party travels to the Palace of Theed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

The moment Kun stepped out of his parent’s house, he felt like he could finally breathe again. The whole dinner had him painfully on edge knowing his fate was being discussed with two strangers and he wasn’t allowed to be involved. Now, he was still stuck with two strangers, but he was with a person and in an environment that he felt much more comfortable in.

“Kunnie!” It appears that Kun wasn’t the only one putting up a front for the parents. The look of befuddlement on Yangyang’s face as Donghyuck threw himself into Kun’s arms almost made Kun laugh out loud. “Next time, just send me a comm and I’ll get you out of there,” Donghyuck ordered as he squeezed the life out of his older friend before letting go. In comparison to the closed-off, haughty expression that Donghyuck had in the dining room, it was like seeing a different person given the sunshine smile he was wearing now. 

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” Kun chuckled, mussing the hair on top of Donghyuck’s head making the boy grin wider.

“You would not believe how busy it’s been. Chenle’s a saint usually, but I’m pretty sure he’s about to blow at all the old geezers-”

A quiet clearing of the throat echoed from the place off to the side where the bounty hunters stood. All eyes turned to Ten, who had been watching the proceedings with thinly veiled amusement.

“You said we were going to meet the king…?” Ten asked, as though trying to remind the reunited pair about why they were here in the first place. The interruption led Donghyuck to quickly slide on a mask of apathetic disinterest.

“He can wait, the kid has the patience of a saint...most of the time,” Donghyuck huffed, “and I suppose you are the guys taking Kun away from us?” At the new phrasing of what was truly going on with the bounty hunters presence in Naboo, Yangyang looked extremely uncomfortable. Ten, however, shrugged.

“We’re just doing what we are paid to do.” At this, Donghyuck sneered.

“There’s nothing like the honor in bounty hunting, huh?” Donghyuck’s words were meant to hurt, and they certainly looked like they did with the way Ten’s eye’s flashed in anger. 

“Donghyuck, please-” Kun hissed, grabbing the back of his shirt and pulling him slightly to grab his attention. 

“I don’t need to be lectured in honor by a child,” Ten growled, the apathetic mask slipping off of him quicker than a flash and Yangyang grabbed him roughly by the shoulder looking like he was hoping to snap him out of it. Donghyuck’s eyes lit up at the challenge, but when he saw Kun’s glare he backed down. 

“Fine, but know you are on  _ my  _ planet and in my King’s city,” Donghyuck sneered, “If he doesn’t think you’re cut out for the job of transporting his brother safely, there is nothing stopping me from dragging you to the nearest deserted planet, leaving you there and telling their parents you backed out of the job. Do I make myself clear?”

“I’d like to see you try,” Ten snorted, also seeming to back down and brushing off the grip Yangyang still had on his jacket. 

“I’m not the only person on the King’s guard,” Donghyuck chuckled darkly.

“Alright!” Kun shouted, using the grip he never let off on Donghyuck’s shirt to push him towards the red speeder he saw in the distance, “you can continue this later, can we please just go?”

“Way ahead of you,” Yangyang mumbled, briskly walking in the direction that Donghyuck had stormed off in. Kun held back for a moment to take a deep breath before he noticed that Ten hadn’t moved either. 

“It seems you have a protection detail,” Ten commented.

“I’ve known him since he was a child,” Kun sighed, looking off in the direction Donghyuck left in. “He’s like another brother to me.”

“I know the feeling,” Ten agreed, staring at the orange-haired boy climbing into the speeder with Donghyuck. He stared at him a little longer before seeming to snap out of it and quickly moving towards the speeder. “ Come on, we shouldn’t waste any more time,” he ordered, effectively ending all potential conversation. With a sigh, Kun followed behind him.

\--------

The ride to the palace was a brisk one and once they arrived, Kun quickly saw what Donghyuck meant by “busy”. Despite it being nighttime, the Palace of Theed was bustling with activity. Hundreds of people were working on hanging decorations around the main courtyard, organizing seating, building stages. Donghyuck was leading the pack through the courtyard while Kun hung back with the two bounty hunters. Yangyang had started to trail behind as he looked around the courtyard in amazement, his eyes lingering on the largest stage where a lot of lighting fixtures were being placed.

“What is going on?” He asked, wide-eyed.

“The Festival of Light is an annual tradition on Naboo,” Kun explained, “for over 800 years it was a celebration of Naboo joining the Republic. But given...recent times, with the frequent overturning of power, it’s become more of a celebration of the planet and everyone and everything on it.”

“And where do the lights come in?” Ten queried. At that, Kun gestured to the stage that caught Yangyang’s attention. 

“ A massive light show is held in this courtyard,” Kun further explained, “It’s quite incredible really, it tells the story and history of the planet. As you can probably gather there are a lot of festivities surrounding the show as well.”

“And all the big wig ministers and political geezers always argue what gets put in the show, who sits where,” Donghyuck cut in with a snort, having listened in. “ It drives his majesty crazy, and me as well. Every year I hope at least one more kicks the buck-”

“Donghyuck,” Kun hissed, none too gently shoving the boy’s back from where he was walking in front of him. The effect was lost when Yangyang started snickering from where he was walking next to Kun.

“I’m just saying.” Donghyuck shrugged, smirking as they finally made their way to the entrance of the throne room. With very dramatic gusto, Donghyuck threw the doors of the throne room open and walked in with a shout. The throne room of the Palace of Theed was as grandiose as one would expect. Having been around for hundreds of years, the architecture, much like the rest of the castle’s, was dated but beautiful. Each stone pillar that lined the walkway to the throne had the planet’s history carved onto it. The stained glass window behind the throne had the design of one of the planet's most beautiful lakes. The throne itself was a dark marble that had similar designs to that of the pillars that lead up to it. The design was meant to impress those who entered the room and it certainly did its job. 

“Your Majesty, I have returned with your brother and his two companions!” In response to the head guard’s shout, the two guards who were standing on either side of his younger brother tensed at the sudden intrusion before relaxing once they recognized the speaker. The one on his brother's right with peach hair was Chenle’s best friend Jisung, who merely looked exasperated upon recognition of the head guard. Renjun, on Chenle’s left, gave Donghyuck a steady glare as the group moved forward into the throne room. Chenle himself had seemed tense, but it seemed to not be because of Donghyuck because he relaxed upon noticing the intrusion and the visitors that followed him. It didn’t take long for Kun to figure out why.

“You are the head of the King’s guard Mr. Lee, must you continue to act like a child,” A man standing near the throne sneered. He was older than the crowd of teens and young adults he was surrounded by, but not quite old enough to be placed amongst the graying ministers and governor that lived in the castle. Kun recognized him as Senator Li, recently elected and could be considered handsome if he didn’t look at everyone like they were dirt on his shoe. 

“I know how to do my job,  _ senator _ ,” Donghyuck scoffed. “Forgive me for not walking around with a stick shoved-” A pointed cough sounded from the senators right. It was then when Kun noticed that Chenle’s advisor, and dear friend, Mark was also in attendance at this meeting. At noticing Mark, Donghyuck rolled his eyes but stood down. 

“I’m glad at least one of you knows how to have a sense of decorum,” the senator grumbled.

“Senator Li,” Chenle huffed, standing up from the throne. “I will have you know that insulting the King’s guard is a sure way to  _ not  _ get what you requested earlier.”

The senator tensed as if wanting to respond in retaliation, but seemed to quickly remember his place and nodded in response.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to meet with my brother,” Chenle continued, walking down from the throne with his two guards quickly falling behind him. “Have a good night, Senator.”

Understanding that this was a dismissal, the Senator bowed to the King and turned to face Mark.

“We will continue our discussion later,” Senator Li grumbled before walking off. He gave a parting glare to Donghyuck as he stormed past him, to which he got a sneer in response.

“I’m sure we will,” Mark responded, giving a grimace when the man’s back had turned. Once Senator Li had officially left the hall it appeared that every single member of the royal party let out a breath of relief. 

“Moon, I hate him,” Renjun groaned. Chenle and Jisung snickered in response, while Kun could only look on amused.

“Renjun!” Mark admonished, spinning to face his friend with an appalled look.

“Oh remove the stick up your ass Mark, we’re all thinking it,” Donghyuck snickered, sauntering up to the man and throwing an arm around his shoulders. Mark grunted from the impact and rolled his eyes in response. 

“What happened?” Kun asked, feeling a wave of fondness as he looked upon the disgruntled teenagers acting their ages for once. They often worried Kun, his favorite group of teenagers thrust into leadership of a  _ Planet _ in the formative years of their life. Granted, it was a tradition that most of these roles be filled by the youth of Naboo, but sometimes it was hard for Kun to accept that these kids he knew when they were eight-years-old had grown up so fast. 

Once Kun spoke, Chenle spun to face him as if suddenly remembering he was there. A humongous grin spread across his face and he looked about ready to launch towards his brother before he remembered who was next to Kun and clammed up very quickly. The mask of a King spreading across his face much as it had with Senator Li.

Kun had actually forgotten about the reason why they were here in the first place. But he followed Chenle’s stare to once again face the bounty hunters. They were standing off to the side, clearly trying not to interfere in any way. 

When Ten had noticed all eyes turned to him, he stepped forward. 

"Greetings, Your Majesty," Ten said with a bow. Yangyang quickly followed suit with a jerky bend of the waist.

"You must be the bounty hunters my parents hired," Chenle stated, jaw clenched. He had no problem making it clear that he was not a fan of this meeting. At their King's steely tone, Renjun and Jisung, who were still on either side of him, tensed in preparation for any altercation. 

To no one's surprise, both bounty hunters were able to clearly read the room and did the same.

"We mean you no harm, Your Majesty," Yangyang cut in from his place next to Kun and a little behind Ten. 

"It's not me I'm concerned about," Chenle retorted, eyes moving to his elder brother. 

" _ Chenle _ ," Kun sighed, and his brother's eyes flashed in response. 

"You can't expect me to just sit here while-"

"Walk with me? Please?" Kun interrupted, gesturing towards the doors to the left of the throne that led into the hallways of the King's quarters. With a heavy sigh, Chenle acquiesced and turned to Mark and Donghyuck.

"Give them a tour of the castle. I need to speak with my brother," he ordered, before glancing at his two guards. "Alone."

All present members of the Royal Party nodded, and Chenle gestured for Kun to follow him towards his quarters. As he made his way out of the room, he couldn't help but feel his neck prickle, like someone was watching him leave.

\-------------------------

The pair walked in a tense silence. Kun had known this moment was coming, and deep in his heart, he wished it didn't have to come so soon. Chenle guided them to his living spaces. A series of many rooms that functioned as a grand apartment. Within them lived not only Chenle but his close guards and advisor.

The space at surface level was ornate and old fashioned. It had been around for centuries, and, like the rest of Naboo, not much was done to modernize the space. It was the Naboo way to try and preserve the history of the planet. Yet, to Kun's amusement, the general clutter and disarray of the living room gave a reminder that seven young men shared the space together. 

Speaking of…

"Where are Jeno and Jaemin?" Kun asked. "I didn't see them around anywhere." This, at least, seemed to pull a smile out of Chenle.

"Ah, you know them," Chenle chuckled, flopping down onto one of the couches. Kun followed, sitting next to him. "They don't like to be cooped up in the palace, so I sent them to a trade negotiation with one of our neighboring moons."

Kun supposed if there was anybody out of Chenle's group of friends that would've left the planet upon reaching adulthood, it would've been Jeno and Jaemin. Even from elementary ages, they spoke of visiting distant planets and meeting new species of people. Their loyalty to their friend and King, however, kept them tied to the planet as a part of Chenle's guard. Kun knew that Chenle felt guilt over this constantly, though, and his brother did what he could to give them the adventure they craved as they remained stubbornly set on being a part of his terms as King.

"Well, I suppose the moons are better than...underwater," Kun commented, desperately trying to fight the smile coming across his face at his own implication. Though Chenle was to be accepting of all the species that lived on Naboo, Kun almost laughed at the nose wrinkle that Chenle did in response. 

"I save those relations for our  _ esteemed _ Senator Li," Chenle responded diplomatically, amusement heavy in his tone. At that, Kun could no longer hold back a laugh, and Chenle briefly joined in.

It soon died, though, once the elephant in the room returned to the forefront of both their minds. There were a few moments where they both just sat in silence.

"Kun," Chenle pleaded suddenly, eyes beginning to water. "Please don't leave."

"Chenle…" Kun's heart broke at the sight. He knew it was coming, but nothing could prepare him for this discussion with his brother.

"I am a King, I have a planet, I have guards," Chenle cried, standing up from his seat and pacing. "Guards who love you and would do anything for me, they'll protect you from them!"

"You know that's not true," Kun refuted quietly, fighting tears himself. "You know our parents, what they can do- what they've  _ done. _ " Chenle opened his mouth to argue, but Kun quickly cut across him.

"You can't, and you  _ won't  _ risk your friends' lives for me," Kun ordered, now standing up out of frustration. "You love them too much." Chenle remained silent, still pacing but hands now flexing out of frustration. 

"They're already on thin ice with our parents, and you know it. Because they would do anything for you, and I need them to keep you safe because-" Kun swallowed as his emotions began to get the better of him. "Because I won't be able to."

Kun took a shuddery breath as he attempted to pull himself together. Yet, all composure was thrown away once he was almost bowled over by Chenle. The hug was frantic like he was trying to find a way to hold on to Kun so he would never leave. But it was the sobbing into his neck that finally did him in, and Kun began crying just as hard as his brother. 

"I'm sorry," Kun whispered, voice strained. "I'm so sorry."

"I hate them," Chenle sobbed, holding Kun tighter. "I  _ hate  _ them."

Kun said nothing, for deep down, he knew he felt the same. They had parents who saw them as a means to an end. Who had no idea that their actions throughout the two brother's lifetimes caused them to be closer than most. Two brothers who relied on each other for the emotional support and care that their parents should have given unconditionally, but were left to find in each other. Who were given opportunities, yet with the underlying threat that failure to meet their expectations would be met with punishment. 

Those types of parents did not care that they would be breaking their children's hearts when they separated them. The separation meant more money and more power. Those were the two things they loved more than anything. 

"I'll come to the hangar when you leave," Chenle sniffed, having gotten most of the crying out but still stuffed up. "I'll say goodbye there too."

Kun nodded in response, clutching his brother tighter.

Sometimes the world could be unfair, even for a boy who was a King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I apologize. 
> 
> BUT did any star wars fan catch my dig at the prequels? let me know if you did! lol
> 
> If you would like  
> follow me on [Tweeter](https://twitter.com/quippyquip)


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